It was cold and suffocating. Overpowering ringing in his ears seemed to tear his very brain to pieces, and his crushed fingers sharply crippled his hand with pain. It was dark, so dark that he wasn't even sure if his eyes were open. Rocks of varying sizes he'd taken with him during his fall had landed on top of and beside him. A sickening warmth crept down parts of his body, and it became obvious to him that he was bleeding.
"Luffy--" his voice was hoarse and faint, his hearing foggier by the moment. His twisted body shifted in its resting place within a bed of shallow water. A choked groan left him. Giving a mighty shudder, he fell still for a moment. Inwardly, he cursed at himself, at that wretched hunter, at his captain's terrible situation--
He'll be a sitting duck if he's poisoned like that--! Sucking in a deep breath, he knew that he should be able to overcome his own condition as he began to tap into the inner strength that rested from the very depths of his soul.
You're weak, Zoro, came a child's voice, softly, from within.
His eyes suddenly flew open. "I am not!" He cried out to deaf ears, an unbroken fist at his side clenching in determination. Heart pounding with exhaustion, with passion and with unreserved strength, his stomach muscles tightened and he swiftly drew himself up to a sit. His almost lost its balance, and his hands flew to his forehead as if that would keep his headache at bay.
He breathed hard for several, aching minutes, ignoring the tight pain that foolishly tried to constrict his lungs.
His body eventually regaining its bearings, it wasn't too long before his eyes began to reclaim their ability to see. The lighting was dim, but it could be adjusted to. He wasted no time in sitting around and excruciatingly hauled himself up from the ground. Roronoa Zoro wasn't competing for the slot of best swordsman for nothing.
He grinned lightly to himself, but he didn't spend too long on inwardly congratulating himself for not dying. Briefly, he looked up from where he had fallen and grimaced. He could hardly see his original standing place, and he cursed at the deceitful hunter again.
I wonder if the fool really had this planned out since the beginning…
Dark eyes immediately scanned the area for any signs of an escape. Large boulders seemed to litter the large pool of water he was standing in, but those were useless to him. Maybe he'd have to slice his way out. He knew it could be done if he really put his mind to it. Even so, he didn't find the prospect very appealing -- especially since he was so pressed for time.
Suddenly, however, something caught his gaze -- something good. A tunnel.
He silently thanked the monster for having a huge appetite, as well as a bizarre choice of food, and made his way over to the gaping mouth that held his freedom. Although no one was with him, he made sure to give no sign that his injuries had made him even slightly vulnerable. It had always been important to be on guard, but it was especially crucial now.
Hang on, Luffy.
And with all of the strength and resolve he possessed, he threw caution to the wind, forgot about his injuries and dashed forward into the dark passageway that loomed before him.
***
The Going Merry had certainly seen happier times.
It had been difficult enough manning the ship without Zoro and Luffy on board, but the absence of Sanji and Nami seemed to increase the workload ten fold. Fortunately, Usopp had some prior knowledge in navigation and Chopper was the best and most eager helper the long nosed man could have asked for. Although they both admitted that their situation would be running a lot smoother with at least Nami on board to help, the doctor and handyman tried not to hesitate in taking up their burden with strong resolve.
"We'll find them soon enough, Chopper," spoke Usopp with forceful confidence as he steered the ship. The reindeer, who was standing on a stool at the kitchen counter and preparing light sandwiches in an effort to keep up their strength, paused momentarily to look over at his companion.
"I hope so," he answered honestly. "It's kinda scary, though. What if that big storm comes again?"
"S-storm?" inquired Usopp, subtlety gripping onto the helm as he spoke "What makes you think a storm will come?"
"Well," said Chopper, his eyes falling onto the half-made sandwiches, "it's happened before, hasn't it? In fact, it's happened twice. And both times we lost people." The youngest member of the crew took a brief pause before he continued, anxious and concerned. "There's only you and me left, Usopp. What if--" He sucked in a deep breath and shifted uncomfortably on top of the stool. "What if we're next? What'll happen to us? And what'll happen to the ship?"
Usopp was quiet for a moment before he looked over at the doctor and gave a hearty laugh. "You and me? Thrown off the ship?! Don't be ridiculous!" He puffed himself up proudly, his arms folding over his chest. "As long as I'm captain around here, nothing will harm us! This ship will not be abandoned!"
Chopper watched his friend, blinking lightly. "Um, Usopp? The helm?"
"Ah." The long nosed man quickly gripped onto it, his mighty façade wavering momentarily. "Yes, well, ah, I think I've said enough."
"But," spoke Chopper, troubled, as he focused his attention upon their late supper, "just in case, what'll we do if there's a storm?" He bit his lip. "I'm scared the waves will wash me over if I go take care of the sails!" They both already agreed to leave the trees covered incase the weather decided to change again, but the sails still proved to be a problem.
Usopp grinned. "The sails? You just leave those to me!" The handyman made a grand gesture into the air in order to draw attention away from his shaking legs. "In fact, you don't need to worry at all! I'm the Great Captain Usopp, remember?! Hah hah hah!"
"Usopp," said the startled reindeer, growing all the more nervous at his sudden outburst. "The helm."
"Oh, right." He clutched onto it tightly, giving an uneasy laugh himself. "Storm, yes. Hmm." Usopp was quiet for a moment, his eyes narrowed in thought. What could two people do in the event of a storm? And what of Chopper, who couldn't swim? Usopp wasn't sure if he could look after both the ship and the doctor. The more he thought about it, the more his mind drew a blank. The story-teller had always been best at improvising, both at the tales he told and his tactics used in a desperate crisis.
"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," he finally answered. "There's no use in worrying about it now." Which was true, Usopp told himself. Even if that piece of well-worn advice proved useless to the born and bred fretters of the world.
Chopper had nothing to say to this, although his eyes seemed burdened with troubled feelings that remained unchanged. Realizing this, Usopp forced a smile for him. "Hey, let's not talk about this anymore, okay?"
Placing the sandwiches onto a plate, the doctor gave his comrade a look of mild amazement. "Talk…about something else?'
"Y-yeah," answered Usopp, his smile never fading. "Like cheese. I find that to be a very fascinating subject. Don't you?"
Chopper suddenly seemed taken aback. "Cheese?" he asked incredulously. Wondering if he had simply misheard, he repeated himself. "Cheese, Usopp?"
"Yes," he answered seriously. "Cheese. Cheese is very important to the structure and balance of our society. You'd be surprised!"
Chopper's shocked face seemed to melt into a look of wonder. "Really?"
"Yes. In fact, I once found a country that was totally lacking in cheese. A cheese famine." The long nosed man gave a tragic sigh. "Everything was such a mess. The princess offered me all of the palace's riches if I could only restore the cheese to the land. Naturally, I accepted her request and I began my long and hard adventure…"
Transfixed by this new and bizarre story, Chopper, plate in hand, slowly ambled his way over to the table beside the helm. He soaked up every word, occasionally interjecting his own exclamations of delighted commentary.
Contrary to what others might have thought, distractions often proved to be quite useful.
***
He was practically seething at the sight before him, and his nails dug their way into the bark of the tree he was hiding behind.
What is that wretched boy doing awake like that?! Taking a shuddering breath, his mind furiously raced. Even with the Quietus Miraculum, he shouldn't have even begun to rouse until morning!
Sure enough, Monkey D. Luffy himself was sitting placidly at the entrance of the cave, a drowsy expression gracing his scarred face as late night began to settle upon the island. He looks as if he's on some sort of bloody picnic or something! The hunter grinded his teeth together, eyebrows furrowing.
Too late, Raffles admitted to himself that he had been a bit too eager to show off his absolutely, positively amazing botanist skills to that worthless swordsman. He doubted the dolt had even appreciated his talents properly. If he'd known that the straw hat boy was going to be awake upon his return, he would have at least used his devil fruit powers in order to hide himself throughout his small hike to Luffy's cave.
To think he had almost been seen! He scowled at both his own folly in becoming too cocky and the dreadful fact that he was awake now because of it.
I should have just killed him when I had the chance. He rubbed at his temples in deep thought as his monocled eye squinted at the rubber pirate. But it's useless to dwell upon the past now. However, his mind suddenly began to take a different path in thinking and it wasn't long until a sly smile crept its way onto his face. He would just have to find a different approach.
Opening open his beige vest, he silently noted the three knives that hung on the inside of it. Scanning the roll of wire that bulged out of his inside pockets, he decided that he more than likely had enough materials to suit his needs.
He knew that if he truly had the inclination, he could just slip over to the pirate unseen and swiftly stab him in the back -- or the chest, depending upon his mood. As if pondering this notion, his index finger stroked the hilt of one of the knives, his eyes carrying a sinister glint to them.
But where was the fun in that? Where was the luring power of the bait? Or the gratifying satisfaction in deceiving a lesser creature? A plan without these elements was rather anti-climatic, in his not so humble opinion. Even poisoning someone sounded far more interesting than a mere stab in the back. Besides, such a deed sounded too barbaric for his own intellectually superior mind.
He craved for the soft creeping in the dark, the perfectly calculated place for the snare and the sudden element of surprise that would bring about the end of another dominated animal. After all, that's all that this sleepy, oblivious man before him truly was -- an animal. All men were animals. Except for himself, of course.
The botanist was confident that he could pull the same trick that he used against that unfortunate Zoro. It would just prove his theory that animals who flocked together were exactly alike. And so, closing his vest, he put upon his brightest, most winning smile and left the safety of the trees.
"Hello there!"
Abruptly, Luffy snorted awake. "--Mnff, Zoro?" A sick sparkle passed through Raffle's arrogant eyes. It was fleeting, however, and disappeared before it was noticed.
"Excuse me?" the older man politely asked, now standing mere feet from the captain. "I'm afraid I do not understand you, dear sir."
Squinting for a moment, Luffy surveyed the stranger. "Hey, you're not Zoro," he observed.
"I never claimed to be," replied Raffles, carefully masking his irritation. Luffy watched him for a few moments before settling himself onto his back and tilting his straw hat over his eyes.
"Okay then."
The hunter's eyebrow twitched. Okay? "Ah, actually, my name is Sir William Raffles III."
"Really?" Luffy tilted his hat up barely enough to look at the other man.
"I see you've heard of me," stated Raffles, a pleased grin appearing upon his face.
The dark haired fellow blinked. "Nope. Never." A brief, awkward pause on the hunter's part. "Say, have you see Zoro?"
"I can't say that I have," growled Raffles, feeling rather thrown off by the pirate's unusual demeanor.
"But you don't even know what Zoro looks like, right?" spoke Luffy, his curious eyes now totally peering up at him. "So, how can you say that for sure?" Sitting up now, he leaned forward with long arms dangling about his drawn up knees. "There's something funny about you, mister." He grinned. "Your name's, um, Raffies? Rabies?" Luffy slowly rubbed his chin. "Rabbles?" His eyes furrowed. "Raccoons?"
"Raffles," replied the now disgruntled fellow. "Sir William Raffles III."
"Oh!" laughed the captain, now scratching the back of his head. "Why didn't you say so?"
"--I did."
Unbothered, the dark haired boy stared at the huntsman for a moment. "So, what do you want, mister?" he asked after a moment, carrying a friendly tone in his voice.
"Ah, um, yes." Repressing a frustrated sigh, Raffles silently cursed at the wanted pirate for throwing him off his original train of thought. He cleared his throat. "Although you might not have heard of me, I'm a very famous hunter and botanist. And--"
"What's a botanist?" blurted Luffy.
"Someone who works with plants. As I was saying--"
"What kind of plants?"
"--Will you stop interrupting me?!"
Luffy blinked. "Okay."
"Right." Running a vaguely shaking hand through his light colored hair, Raffles momentarily closed his eyes. "I'll get straight to the point. I'm looking for a blue monster who lives on this island. You have seen it, right?" Upon being asked the question, Luffy's eyes immediately lit up.
"Sure I have!" The teen swiftly nodded. "He's really fun to play with!"
Raffles gave an inward smirk of satisfaction. "Since I'm a hunter, I'd like you to help me capture him." A brief pause. "You can do that, can't you?"
"Well, sure!" laughed Luffy, clapping his feet together playfully. "I guess you're hungry, too, right?"
"Hungry?" sputtered the hunter, laughing also at what he perceived to be the boy's stupidity. "Oh, no. I wish to put it in a big museum, where the uneducated masses of the world can come and gawk at him." He sighed wistfully. "The exhibit would have my name on it!"
"Exhibit?" Luffy asked, apparently confused. "Why would you kill him just to do that?" He shook his head. "I like the monster too much to kill him and put him on display." The hunter's smile lightly faded.
"Ah, sir, you are kidding, yes?"
"No," said Luffy as he tilted his head. "Why did you think I was kidding?"
Raffles narrowed his eyes at this strange case. "So does that mean you…can't hunt?" he inquired, trying to probe him into a different direction of thought.
The pirate shrugged. "I could," he said. "I just don't want to if you're going to put Mr. Monster on display."
Alright then. William Raffles grinded his teeth together once more, barely keeping his lip from curling. New plan.
"Would you like to play a game then?" he asked Luffy, keeping a light air in his tone. At this, Luffy's eyes lit up once more and he gave his trademark smile.
"A game?" He stood up abruptly, excitement glistening in his eyes. "Ooh, what kind of game?"
Surprised, but still pleased, Raffles briefly paused.
"Hide and Seek," he slyly answered after a moment. "Except the rules are a little different." This seemed to increase Luffy's anticipation further and the hunter went on. "This time, instead of running the risk of being 'it' -- you'll run the risk of allowing me to catch that monster." The older man smiled charismatically. "Do you follow?"
Luffy blinked. "No. Not really."
At this, Raffles softly chuckled. "Well, let me put it this way. I'm going to be 'it' -- the hunter. You may use whatever you want to prevent me from catching you."
Nodding, the rubber pirate asked: "Even my devil fruit powers?"
Raffles briefly paused, and he knew that it would simply make things more complicated for the talkative boy if he pretended he didn't know about his ability to stretch like rubber. So, for the sake of getting to the point, he agreed. "Yes, those too." He smiled as he said those words. "And, in turn, I can use whatever I want to catch you. Including my devil fruit powers."
The lanky boy was taken by astonishment, and his mouth hung open. "You have devil fruit powers, too?"
"Indeed." Luffy's new opponent stretched out his arm. The boy gave a cry of amazement as the hairy limb slowly began to disappear. "I consumed the Kamen Kamen[3] fruit. As a result, I can completely blend in with my surroundings at will. Nice, eh?" His cold eyes settled upon an amazed Luffy. "Especially for a 'game' like this one."
The boyish pirate was quiet for a moment before finally speaking. "Well, that sounds pretty fair to me. I can use my powers, and you can use yours."
"Of course!" Raffle clasped his hands together, his sly smile still in place. "And if you can outsmart me and win, I won't touch the monster at all -- and I'll leave you alone, too."
"Okay!" To Luffy, this completely sounded like a fine game and it showed upon his expressively childlike face.
"But if you lose," said the hunting botanist while raising a partially vanished index finger, "I get to keep the monster and you for myself. Do you understand?"
Luffy was quiet for a serious moment, his eyes boring into the man before him. His eyebrows furrowed, and he suddenly appeared far more mature and older than he came across. Raffles became nervous that he'd caught onto something, would refuse and try to kill him on the spot. But then, the pirate spoke and put his anxiety at ease.
"Okay, if you promise that you won't touch the monster when I win."
Raffles grinned, holes glaring from his teeth. "Deal."
_______________________
[3] - Kamen - mask
Author's Notes: For those who didn't get the little jibe about Sanji in the last chapter, it was in reference to a comment he made in volume 24 about beautiful women and dead bodies going well together. XP
-- oh, and I have to wish Usopp a happy birthday. Because I can. ^_^
And a big thanks for all of the feedback I've received so far! I don't know if I could have gotten this far without all the encouragement. Thanks again!